20.  Who was more anxious than he for the common weal?  Who more wise in domestic affairs, since God, who orders all things in due variation, assigned to him a house and suitable fortune?  Who was more sympathetic in mind, more bounteous in hand, towards the poor, that most dishonoured portion of the nature to which equal honour is due?  For he actually treated his own property as if it were another’s, of which he was but the steward, relieving poverty as far as he could, and expending not only his superfluities but his necessities—a manifest proof of love for the poor, giving a portion, not only to seven, according to the injunction of Solomon,44    Eccles. xi. 2. but if an eighth came forward, not even in his case being niggardly, but more pleased to dispose of his wealth than we know others are to acquire it; taking away the yoke and election (which means, as I think, all meanness in testing as to whether the recipient is worthy or not) and word of murmuring45    Isai. lviii. 9. (LXX.). in benevolence.  This is what most men do:  they give indeed, but without that readiness, which is a greater and more perfect thing than the mere offering.  For he thought it much better46    Better.  Clémencet compares Dem. De Corona. to be generous even to the undeserving for the sake of the deserving, than from fear of the undeserving to deprive those who were deserving.  And this seems to be the duty of casting our bread upon the waters,47    Eccles. xi. 1. since it will not be swept away or perish in the eyes of the just Investigator, but will arrive yonder where all that is ours is laid up, and will meet with us in due time, even though we think it not.

Κʹ. Τίς μὲν γὰρ ἐκείνου περὶ τὰ κοινὰ σπουδαιότερος; τίς δὲ τὰ οἴκοι φιλοσοφώτερος, ἐπειδὴ καὶ οἶκον ἐμέρισεν αὐτῷ, καὶ κτῆσιν σύμμετρον, ὁ πάντα καλῶς καὶ ποικίλως οἰκονομῶν Θεός; Τίς δὲ πένησι, τῷ ἀτιμωτάτῳ μέρει τῆς ὁμοτίμου φύσεως, ἢ τὴν ψυχὴν συμπαθέστερος, ἢ τὴν χεῖρα δαψιλέστερος; τῷ ὄντι γὰρ ὡς οἰκονόμος ἀλλοτρίων διενοεῖτο περὶ τῶν ἰδίων, ἐπικουφίζων τὴν πενίαν εἰς δύναμιν, καὶ δαπανώμενος, οὐ τοῖς περιττοῖς μόνον, ἀλλὰ δὴ καὶ τοῖς ἀναγκαίοις, ἥπερ δὴ σαφεστάτη φιλοπτωχίας ἀπόδειξις, καὶ διδοὺς μερίδα, οὐ τοῖς ἑπτὰ μόνον, κατὰ τὴν τοῦ Σολομῶντος νομοθεσίαν, ἀλλ' εἰ προσέλθοι καὶ ὄγδοος, μηδὲ ἐνταῦθα μικρολογούμενος, ἀλλ' ἥδιον ἀποκτώμενος, ἢ κτωμένους ἄλλους γινώσκομεν: ἀναιρῶν σύνδεσμον καὶ χειροτονίαν (ὅπερ ἐμοὶ δύναται μικρολογίαν καὶ δοκιμασίαν τοῦ ληψομένου, ὅστις τε ἄξιος, καὶ ὅστις οὔ), καὶ ῥῆμα γογγυσμοῦ μετὰ τῆς ἐπιδόσεως. Ὅπερ πάσχουσιν οἱ πολλοὶ, διδόντες μὲν, τὸ δὲ προθύμως οὐ προστιθέντες: ὃ τοῦ παρέχειν μεῖζόν ἐστι καὶ τελεώτερον. Πολλῷ γὰρ βέλτιον εἶναι διὰ τοὺς ἀξίους ὀρέγειν καὶ τοῖς ἀναξίοις, ἢ τοὺς ἀξίους ἀποστερεῖν δέει τῶν ἀναξίων. Καὶ τοῦτο εἶναι φαίνεται, τὸ χρῆναι πέμπειν τὸν ἄρτον ἑαυτοῦ καὶ καθ' ὕδατος, ὡς οὐ παρασυρησόμενον, οὐδὲ ἀπολούμενον τῷ δικαίῳ τούτων ἐξεταστῇ, ἀλλ' ἐνταῦθα καταντήσοντα, οὗ πάντα κείσεται τὰ ἡμέτερα, καὶ ἀπαντήσονται ἐν καιρῷ, κἂν ἡμεῖς μὴ τοῦτο νομίζωμεν.